Pivotal frame mounting structure for offset printing machine cylinders



y 1952 L. H. MORSE PIVOTAL FRAME MOUNTING STRUCTURE FOR OFFSET PRINTING MACHINE CYLINDERS Original Filed April 19, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l mvavrae L/IMEEME h. MORSE y 1952 L. H. MORSE 2,598,414

PIVOTAL FRAME MOUNTING STRUCTURE FOR OFFSET PRINTING MACHINE- CYLINDERS Original Filed April 19, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mvavme li IVOESL' y 1952 L. H. MORSE 2,598,414

PIVOTAL FRAME MOUNTING STRUCTURE FOR OFFSET PRINTING MACHINE CYLINDERS Original Filed April 19, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 \v IN VEN TOR. L/IWEENCE 19. #14265 Y y 1952 L. H. MORSE 2,598,414

PIVOTAL FRAME MOUNTING STRUCTURE FOR OFFSET PRINTING MACHINE CYLINDERS Original Filed April 19, 1946 '4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

LAWRENCE H. MORSE BY Patented May 27, 1952 PIVUTAL FRAME MOUNTING STRUCTURE FOR OFFSET PRINTING MACHINE CYL- INDERS Lawrence H. Morse, Mentor, Ohio, assignor to Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, "acorporation of Delaware Original application April 19, 1946, Serial No.

663,517, nowPatent No. 2,525,931, dated'October 17, 1950. Divided and this application JanuaryI5, 1948, Serial No. 2,499

g 7 Claims. 1 Thisapplication is a divison'of my pending applieationNo. 663,517, filed April 19, 1946,v which has matured into Patent No. 2,525,931, granted October 1-7, 1950, for'aprinting machine, and relates 'to an offset printing machine having'aplurality of Lpattern'rollsenacting-with a'single offset roll, wh'erebyrimprintsmay bemade ina plurality ofcolors.

The invention is well adapted for use in amachine such as set out in detail in my parentapplication showing four patternrolls and two offset rolls, one pair .of'patternzrolls coacting with one of the onset rolls, the other pair with :the otheroflset rolls and the two .offset:rolls reacting with each otherso that each :may perform the function of a platen for an opposed ofiset roll. To prevent :such 'o'fiset' rolls from offsetting on each other, it is necessary that they beseparated at all times except when a sheet of paper is passingrbetween them. Therefore, one or .the other of the offset .rolls must :be shiftably mounted. Since the pattern :roll :or rolls from which the imageis offset .to the paper, must be kept in correct registration with the offset roll'to maintain a clear image, it becomesnecessary to moveitaor them, also, and in a proper :fashion to :preserve such registration.

An object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the various rolls are separately mountedfor individual movement relativ to the machine frame, and whereby such movements may be correlated to preserve the registration. This object is accomplished by providingseparate frames "for the movable offsetiro'll and for each o'fiits pattern rolls and associatediinking mechanism. These frames are individually hinged 'to the mainmachine frameand arefinterconn'e'cted with a, linkage "for the proper control of their movement.

:Other objects and advantages .in the "present invention 'will .be apparent from the accompany- .izg'tdrawings and the following description there- "In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an offset printing machine embo'dying'my invention; Fig. '2 :is :aplan thereof; Fig. '3 is a fragmentary elevation-looking in the direction opposite to Fig. lfandis'howing themechanism'formoving the upper offset roll; Fig. 4 is a vertical section in a plane parallel with Fig. 1 and on a much larger scale illustrating the paper detecting device; Fig. 5 is a detail view in vertical section illustl'atinga device for separating the pattern rolls from their respeotive'ofiset'roll; Fig. dis a transverse section 'mken-on the-plane '66 inFi'grs.

In the embodiment of my invention, as illustrated particularly in Fig. lot the drawing, I have provided a printingmachine having two offset rolls, the lower one NJ of which has a-shaft fixedly carried by the main frame F, and-theupper one ll of whichis carried by a springing carrier comprising side plates [2 pivotedat [-3 on the frame. The offset rolls-are adapted to print upon opposite sides ofsa sheet which isdelivered to the machine, by mechanism indicated convem tionally at: [4, sand-is-fed to the rolls attheproper time by a paper feed and detecting mechanism indicated generally at 15. After printing; the sheet is delivered from themachine by anejecting device [6.

Each offset-roll may transfer a. two-colorimage from two pattern rolls. The lower ofiset roll =l'0 *receives a black image, forexample, from the pattern roll and a red'image 'fromthe pattern roll 2|, and the roll ll :receives its two colors from pattern rolls 2-2 and.

Each pattern roll is provided with an inking mechanism, the roll mounting and, the inking mechanism comprising a unitary-structure. For reasons of simplicity in manufacture and inservicing, these structures in the case of the four pattern rolls maybe identical. As=.shown, each pattern roll is carried-by 'aswinging-framecomprising twosideiplates 'and 26 whicharepivoted at 2! on the main frame F. Inthecase of the lower 'two pattern rolls, they are supported 'by link blocks? 8, 'which may 'have eccentric mountings (Fig.5) on the frame. Inthe caseof'the-upper't'wo pattern rolls, the side plates-are similarly pivoted tothe main frame'butare supported by means of adjustable links 30 and :31 which *tie them to the side plates t2 of the offset roll :carrier.

To separate the offset rolls when the machine is not printing or when a sheet is inadvertently absent at'the feeding position,'I provide a separating mechanism, shown in detail in Fig. 3 and hereinafter described, which is adapted to raise and lower the offset roll carrier I 2 by turning an eccentric shaft which supports the carrier.

To drive the various 'rollsan'd to preserve their proper registration, each of the offset and pat-- tern'rolls is provided with a gear 3'6 whose pitch diameter is equal to the diameter .of the roll. The gear which is associated with the lower :offset roll is power driven by suitable mechanism terminating in a gear I36 (Fig. 1) meshin with that'sgear 36.

Referring now to Fig. 4. it will .be ,:noted that as aasheetS enters :on'the feeding mechanism M it is guided by plates 3'! and 38 into the bite of a pair of feed rollers 38 and 40 which, in turn, move it into the bite of the offset rolls i8 and II. Normally, the rollers 39 and40 are separated so that no driving occurs, and a series of stop fingers 4! stand across the path of the paper, as indicated in broken lines at 4! The leading edge of the sheet engages the fingers until, at the proper time in the cycle, the fingers are withdrawn and the feed rollers are engaged to move the sheet forwardly.

The upper roller 39 comprises a series of spaced sections, as shown in Fig. 4, on a shaft 42 carried in bearings on the main frame and provided with a gear 43. The gear is constantly driven from the gear 36 of the offset roll H through an idler 44.

The lower roller 40 is adjustably mounted, as indicated at 45, on a swinging frame 46 pivoted at 41 on the main frame F. The frame 46 carries a cam follower 48 which constantly engages a large disc cam 49 on the lower offset roll ID. The cam is provided with a short raised dwell 50 which, at the proper time in the rotation of the roll, is adapted to swing the frame 46 upwardly to press the roller 48, and hence the sheet S, against the rotating driving roller 39.

The frame 46 also carries an angular-1y adjustable extension i which bears against the supporting block 52 of the stop fingers. When the carrier 46 is rocked upwardly by the cam 49 the extension rocks the bar 52, against the action of a light tension spring 53, to withdraw the stop fingers immediately before the sheet is thrown forwardly by the feed rollers.

The presence of the sheet is detected by a feeler 55 which is carried by a shaft 56 and rests upon the paper. The sheet bridges a groove 51 in the feed roller 40 and, in the absence of a sheet, the feeler drops into the groove. The angular position of the shaft 58 is thus dependent upon the presence or absence of a sheetin feeding position and is adapted to control the raising and lowering of the upperoffset roll, as will next be described.

As best seen in Fig. 3, the angular position of each of the side plates l2 of the upper offset roll carrier about its pivot i3 is determined by a support comprising a link 68. A cross shaft 6!, having bearings in the main frame F, is provided with an eccentric portion 62 which pivotally supports the links. Rotation of the shaft is thus adapted to raise and lower the carrier to alter the spacing of the offset rolls [0 and l l. Normally the shaft is turned to roll separating position by means of a tension spring 63 which is anchored to the main frame! at 64 (Fig. 2) and which urges counter-clockwise a block 65 adjustably secured at 66 to a plate 61 which, in turn, is drivingly secured to the shaft.

Mechanism is provided whereby the shaft Si is turned to lower the offset roll I i to printing position during the non-printing portion of each cycle of the machine and whereby the presence or absence of a sheet in feeding position determines whether the roll remains in position to act upon the sheet, or whether it is again raised before the printing portion of the cycle commences, to prevent offsetting upon the other roll in the absence of a sheet. A bell crank is pivoted at H on the main frame and is linked at 12 to the block 65. A cam follower 73 on the bell crank coacts with a cam 14 on the shaft of the lower offset roll in and, at the proper time in each cycle, a rise 16 on the cam lifts-the bell crank to rock the block 65 in a clockwise direction to lower the roll I I.

The cam follower 13 may be hinged, as shown on the bell crank whereby it may be idly swung out of the way when the cam 14 is rotated in the opposite direction, as during manual manipulation of the machine during the initial registration of the rolls.

The bell crank 10, having been raised to roll engaging position shown, is retained in such position when a sheet is properly present in the machine. The feeler shaft 56, previously mentioned, is provided with an arm 16, and the bell crank 10 carries an adjustable shoulder 11. When a sheet is absent, a spring, not shown, urges the feeler 55 downwardly into the groove of the feed roller 40 and swings the arm 16 in the direction of the arrow to idle position. As the rise 15 of the cam then leaves the cam follower, the spring 63 and a second spring 18 are free to rock the bell crank and the block 65 back to roll separating position. A sheet present at printing position, however, lifts the feeler and the arm 16 is swung to the position shown. As the shoulder 11 is lowered by the action of the cam 14, the arm is sprung aside, against the action of a light tension spring 16', and then snaps into the shoulder. The shoulder is prevented thereby from rising and the offset rolls are prevented from separating.

The offset rolls l0 and H are constructed with the usual gaps in their peripheries which provide for the attaching devices for their offsetting blankets. As indicated in Fig. 3, the positioningof the rolls occurs at a time in the cycle when their two gaps are in registration and before the leading edges 19 of their offset surfaces come into engagement.

Each of the side plates I2 of the offset roll carrier is individually hinged to the frame at I3 and each has an adjustable eccentric connection with its respective supporting link 60. Differential raising or lowering of the two sides may thus be obtained in the initial adjustment for uniformity of printing pressure along the line of printing contact.

A dashpot 82 may be provided to prevent the shock which might be occasioned, when the bell crank 10 and its associated parts are released by the cam 14. The dashpot may be interposed, as shown, between the bell crank and a pivotal anchorage on the main frame at 83 and may be controlled by a valve 84.

As previously mentioned, each pattern roll is carried by a pair of side plates 25 and 26 which are pivoted to the main frame at 21. In the case of the roll 22, the side plates, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are supported about their pivots by a pair of links 30 which extend from the shaft of the roll to the shaft of the upper offset roll. The links may be of the nature of turnbuckles as shown, whereby the shaft spacings at the front and the rear of the machine may be altered to obtain the required uniformity of contact of the rolls. As the upper offset roll is raised and lowered by the mechanism of Fig. 3, the pattern roll is thus rocked about the pivots 21 and the continued meshing of the gears 36 of the two rolls preserves proper registration.

The case of the upper pattern roll 23 is somewhat simpler in that the pivots 21 of its side plates may coincide with the pivots l3 of the upper offset roll carrier I 2 (Figs. 1, 2, 8 and 13). Thus, .by interconnecting the endsof the roll shaft with the side plates (2 by means of a pair tolls to preventinjury of the surfaces. the

case of the lower two rolls and 2| this is ac efnplished by rocking the side plates about their pivots 21. As previously mentioned, each plate is supported by a link 2's. as best seen n Figs. 5 and 6, the linksa're pivotally supported on the eccentric portion 85 of a shaft 86 whichex'tends ss the resin name. when the shaft is ese "leten the links inove up and sewn to engage an d 'seneagetne pattern ro witii the onset 611. The shaft is maintained in ion-engaging i o'sition b means of e. block 81 which is'pinn e i to the shaft and which carries a pivoted dog '88. The deg is spring pressed into contact with the ieee er a disc 89, adjustably secured to the main frame, and, at the proper angular position of the shaft, it snaps into a notch 90 in the disc. A handle 91 is provided to withdraw the dog groin the notch 'and thereafter to turn the shaft. T handle is freely rotatable on the end of the shaft and has a limited angular movement rel'atiiie to the block- 87 by reason of a pin and slot connection at 92. The dog as is provided with a beveled eiite'hs'ion 93 .Which, is engaged by 'a beveled portion 94 of the handle during the first port'i'cin of the movement of the latter. Thus a clockwise movement of the handle from the position illustrated in Fig. 6 serves first to withdraw the dog from the notch and then to turn the block t1 and the shaft. t e block reaches a stop lug 95 on the disc, the links 2 8 are lowered sufficiently to Withdraw the attern roll. The side plates and 26 are individually positionable with respect to their links 28 by reason of eccentric bushings 96 having handles L9 1 for manual adjustment and clamping nuts 98 to reta'iii the bushings "in adjusted position. I M

Separation of the pattern rolls 22 and -23 from the upper offset roll is aeeenipiisned by turnin the ecc ntric 'e'ritr shafts I'M of the pattern ions. The shafts are rotatable in bearingsin the side plates 25 and 216 and the rolls rotated on ball bearings i'm an intermediate eccentric portion-of the shaft corresponding to that at 85 of the shaft 86 justdescribed. Each of the shafts I00 may be provided with a handle and positioning device comprising parts identical with those at 81 through 95 (Figs. 5 and 6) and some of the same reference characters have been repeated on Fig. 2.

Each of the rolls may be removed from its shaft for servicing and for replacement of the I printing surface. As shown, each shaft carries a drum and this drum is embraced by a removable shell, the drum with the shell constituting a printing roll. The shells are adapted to be removed from the drum without disturbing the drums or shafts. Each shell is made for only a portion of a cylinder and the open gaps are adapted to allow the three lower drums to be removed endwise across the frame brackets which carry the shafts in drums. On the other hand, the three upper drums may be so formed with relation to their shells, that the latter can be removed radially upward after being released from their drums. These features, however, are

not claimed herein but in my previously mentioned.

Suitable inking mechanism is provided for each of the pattern rolls. The particular form of such inking mechanism is immaterial. So far as shown in the drawings the mechanism for each pattern rolls comprises a series of rollers to conduct ink from a fountain roll H0, aligned with and operated by a' properly turned ratchet wheel HI,- suit'abl'e ductor H2 and distributing rolls H3 to carry the ink from the fountain roll to the respective patterns.

With a sheet properly' positioned in the fee'de ing and detecting device 15, and with the u per patent application offset roll in printing position, continued opera tion of the machine will project the sheet into the space caused by the gaps in the offset rolls. The rolls, in the meanwhile, are revolving and the leading edges of their offset blankets B engage the sheet at some point beyond its leading a frame which carries an upper and lower-series of endless tapes between which the sheetis moved to the exterior of the machine.

previously mentioned, each of the onset rolls and each of the pattern rolls is provided with a gear 36. These gearsare in constantmesh with each other, the separation. formerly-referred to, of the offset rolls and of the pattern rolls from the respective offset rolls being of insu ni'cient extent to entirely withdraw the teeth. The lower offset roll I0 is power driven and serves to drive the" others.

It will be seen that my machine is very compact, hence may be comparatively small for the work accomplished. Simple means are provided for separating the different rolls'from each other without disturbing their individual adjust" n t. Such separation prevents clogging from the dry ingot ink and allows the ready cleaning of the rolls, and may also be employed as to some 01 the rolls when it is desired to print only one color on one or onboth sides of the sheet or desired t6 pr int' in-oiie or two coldr's en ohe side only.

1. In a printing machine, the combination with a main frame, a platen carried thereby, a supplemental frame pivoted to the main frame, an offset roll mounted in the supplemental frame and adapted to coact with the platen, a second supplemental frame pivoted on the same axis as the first supplemental frame, a pattern roll mounted in said second supplemental frame, and an adjustable link tying together said two supplemental frames.

2. In a printing machine, the combination with a main frame, a platen mounted therein, a supplemental frame pivoted to the main frame, an offset roll mounted in the supplemental frame and adapted to enact with the platen, a second supplemental frame pivoted on the same axis as the first supplemental frame, a pattern roll mounted in said second supplemental frame, an adjustable link tying together said two supplemental frames, a third supplemental frame pivoted to the main frame, a pattern roll mounted in the third supplemental frame and adapted to coact with the offset roll and an adjustable link connecting the axis of the second pattern roll to the axis of the offset roll.

3. In a printing machine, the combination of a main frame, a platen carried thereby, a supplemental frame pivoted to the main frame, an offset roll carried thereby, two supplemental frames pivoted to the main frame, one on the same axis as the offset roll frame and the other on a different axis, a pattern roll carried by each of the latter supplemental frames, adjustable means tying together the offset-roll-frame and that pattern roll frame which are pivoted on the same axis, and adjustable means tying together the offset roll axis and the axis of that pattern roll whose frame is pivoted on a different axis from the offset roll frame.

4. In a printing machine, the combination of a main frame, two supplemental frames pivoted to the main frame, a pattern roll carried by each supplemental frame, another supplemental frame pivoted to the main frame, an offset roll carried thereby, turnbuckles connecting said offset roll carrying frame with the frames carrying the two pattern rolls, eccentric shafts carrying the pattern rolls and operable to separate them from the offset roll, gears connecting the pattern rolls and offset roll and adapted to remain enmeshed notwithstanding the separation by said eccentric shafts,

a platen with which the offset roll contacts in printing. and means for separating the offset roll from the platen without separating the pattern rolls from the offset roll.

5. In a printing machine, the combination with a main frame, a platen mounted therein, a supplemental frame pivoted to the main frame, an ofiset roll mounted in the supplemental frame and adapted to coact with the platen, a second pivotally mounted supplemental frame, a pattern roll mounted in said second supplemental frame, means tying together said two supplemental frames, a third pivotally mounted supplemental frame, a pattern roll mounted in the third supplemental frame and adapted to coact with the offset roll, means tying together the axis of the second pattern roll to the aXis of the offset roll, and means for swinging said supplemental frames on their pivots, whereby both pattern rolls are maintained in contact with the offset roll during the separation of the offset roll from the platen.

6. In a printing machine, the combination of a main frame, a platen carried thereby, a supplemental frame pivoted to the main frame, an

offset roll carried thereby, two supplemental frames pivoted to the main frame, a pattern roll carried by each of the latter supplemental frames by means of an eccentric shaft to adjustthe axis of the pattern roll with reference to its frame, turnbuckles tying together the offset roll frame with the pattern roll frames, a platen which the offset roll contacts in one position of the firstmentioned supplemental frame, means for adjusting the position of the frame carrying the offset roll and by means of the turnbuckles swinging the pattern rolls correspondingly, whereby the offset roll may be separated from the platen without changing the relation of the offset roll to either of the pattern rolls.

7. In a printing machine, the combination of a main frame, a platen mounted therein, a supplemental frame pivoted to the main frame, an ofiset roll carried by said supplemental frame, two additional supplemental frames pivoted to the main frame, a pattern roll carried by each of said lastnamed supplemental frames and coacting with said offset roll, means for adjusting the portion of the pattern roll frames at one end of each roll with reference to the portion of said frame at the other end of the roll to adjust the axis of each pattern roll with reference to the offset roll, means to move the supplemental frame carrying the offset roll to adjust the position of the offset roll relative to the platen, and rigid means interconnecting each of the other supplemental frames with the offset roll frame to maintain the distances between the axis of the pattern rolls carried thereby and the axis of the offset roll fixed during the movement of the offset roll frame.

LAWRENCE H. MORSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 710,380 Turck Sept. 30, 1902 1,027,384 Green May 21, 1912 1,554,597 Rowles Sept. 22, 1925 1,590,742 Goulding June 29, 1926 1,949,432 Osborne Mar. 6, 1934 2,158,701 Jirousek May 16, 1939 2,297,846 Van Benschoten Oct. 6, 1942 2,398,832 Jirousek Apr. 23, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,590,742 Great Britain June 29, 1926 

